Just Neighbors, Right?
by the-4th-Queen-of-Darkness
Summary: SwanQueen awesomeness! 5 years after Neal leaves Emma kept Henry, Regina is a lesbian and afraid to come out, also wants kids but is too afraid to adopt. What happens when Emma and Henry move into the apartment next to Regina's? This'll only be a 10-20 chapter fic. Please read!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everybody! Hope you like this, but FYI, I have another story, so until school gets out, I will ****_definetly_**** not be posting everyday.**

It had been 5 years since Neal had left her in jail and she'd given birth to her beautiful son Henry, but she was still an emotional blank. She loved Henry, of course, but that was different. But hopefully this new town could be a new start for her.

Regina couldn't believe it. She was going to have a new neighbor? _Nothing_ changed in Storybrooke, there was no one _new _in Storybrooke. She hoped that they (whoever _they_ are) wouldn't figure out that she was _lesbian._ Storybrooke had a very old-fashioned population. If anyone found out, she might _actually _be burnt at the stake.

As they rolled into Storybrooke in Emma's yellow bug, Henry got a 5-year-old energy spurt worthy of Usain Bolt. When she'd parked in front of the apartment building they would be living in, Henry immediately ran inside, leaving her to take up all their things.

When she finally got to their floor, Henry was nowhere to be seen. "Henry?" she called down the hallway. "Oh, um, I'm sorry, he was just looking lost and I-" A _stunning_ woman had opened the door to the apartment next to her and carried out an already asleep Henry. "Where are my manners? Hi. I'm Regina Mills." "Uh- I'm, um, Emma. Emma Swan." "Hi." "Hi." Regina had sleek, velvety-looking raven black hair, and beautiful, well everything, but just stunning dark chestnut eyes. There was something in them, a, sadness, a secret stemming from that sadness. It made Emma want to go over and hug her. "Here's your-" "Son. His name's Henry." "-son. He is so cute. I wish I-" Emma could have sworn that Regina (she even had a beautiful name) was going to say that she wished that she had children, which would mean no romantic attachments, just like her.

A little boy had run into her leg as she opened the door to her apartment. The new neighbors must be here. They're a _family_. She couldn't help a little resentment. But she couldn't leave the little boy out here. So she crouched down, lifting him up. "Are you okay?" He nodded. And he hadn't started bawling, so hopefully she hadn't hurt him. She kept him in her arms for a while, gently rocking him, lost in thought. Looking down, she saw that he'd fallen asleep. She slowly walked back inside her apartment, careful not to wake him. A few minutes later, she heard someone call "Henry?" That was probably the little boy's mother. She brought him out and saw the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen standing there with about 7 boxes precariously stacked in her arms. If she had a husband, he would've taken some.

**Thanks for reading! Next chapter will delve into Regina's past. Please read!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay! 2nd chapter!** **Remember, this is like 10-15 years ago.**

_She was going to tell him tonight. Tonight she would tell her fiancé Daniel that she had to call off their wedding, because she was lesbian._

_"Daniel? Is that you?" "Yeah, what did we have to come all the way out here to talk about?" "Okay, so, I want you to know that I really do love you." "You're scaring me now, Regina." "Daniel, we need to call off the wedding." "Wait, why?" "Because, I-I'm lesbian." "No! You-you can't be! You love me! I. love. you!" He grabbed her hands, but she pulled away. "I do. Did. Do. But as a-well a brother." He backed away. "No, I gave _everything_ up for you. My parents _disowned _me because I _love_ you!" "I'm sorry, Daniel, but I can't change the way I _feel_." He walked back to his car, reaching into the glove compartment, where she knew he kept things for emergencies. He put something behind this back, walking towards her. He brought his hands in front of him, and the _gun_ he was holding. "Daniel, w-what are you doing?" "I honestly don't know. it's how I_ feel_." She put her hands in front of her as he stepped closer. "Please, Daniel, don't-don't _do_ this." _**Bang **_She felt pain in her gut, and as she took her hands away, they were soaked in blood. _**Bang** _She didn't feel another bullet, and she looked up just in time to see Daniel fall backwards._

**Next chapter will be in the present, I just wanted you to know why she is scared to come out.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Dear Guest, thank you so much for your uplifting review! 3**

Making friends here in Storybrooke was easy, Emma thought. Her new best friend Mary Margaret had invited her to a party, and said she could bring a date, but she had no idea who to pick.

Except when handed the +1 invite, she'd immediately thought of her neighbor, Regina.

Which had made her think.

_Neal was the only guy she'd ever been romantic with, and when she'd told herself before that it hadn't been right, she'd just thought that it was the heartbreak talking._

_What did she think of Regina? _

_Other than the fact that she's beautiful, attractive, smart, nice, kind, compassionate, sympathetic, generous, motherly, empathetic, easy to talk to, sexy, and perfect_? She asked herself.

_Um, that she's out of my league?_

_Wait, I'm getting _way_ ahead of myself here._ Not that she had anything against homosexuality, she'd just always assumed that she was, well, _straight_.

_But to be with Regina you definetly would, wouldn't you?_

_Getting ahead of myself again. Besides, Regina most _definetly_ has a boyfriend. She couldn't possibly be single._

_And what if she is?_

_That doesn't mean she's even lesbian. And_ even_ if she is,_ still_ way out of my league._

Mary Margaret had slipped an invitation under her door for one of her parties, which wasn't different, what was _different _was the fact that she had also given her a _+1_.

_What was different was when she had seen it, she thought of golden hair and green eyes._

_20 Minutes Later_

After arguing with herself for a good 20 minutes, Regina decided that she was going to do it.

She was going to ask Emma to Mary Margaret's party, and if she reacted weirdly, than she would explain that she was doing it as a friend.

_That was a good plan, right?_

_Never mind._

_Just do it Regina._

After going back and forth in her mind for about 20 minutes, Emma decided that she was going to do it.

She was going to ask Regina to Mary Margaret's party, to hell with the consequenses.

Regina was standing in front of Emma's door, hand raised to knock, and then Emma opened her door. "Hi Regina." "Hi Emma."

"Hey I was wondering if you might want-"

"Will you go to Mary Margaret's party with me?" Emma asked.

"I'd, well, I'd love to!"

"Great! Now close your eyes for a sec."

"Okay..."

Regina peeked through her eyelashes and watched as Emma did a fist pump.

And she thought that it was cute.

_Oh god._

**I wanted to thank everybody who has followed and favorite, because seriously, it means the world to me. Next chapter they go to the party, does something happen between them? Maybe. ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**omG you guys! you're all so wonderful and nice and just ****_thank you_**** for all the positive reviews!**

To say that Emma was nervous would be a complete and utter lie. She was _terrified_.

She'd switched her outfit at least 8 times.

She was about to change again when her doorbell rang.

She had sent Henry to a babysitter's named Ashley, so it had to be Regina.

Emma decided that she'd change just one more time.

Unlocking her door, she opened it and ran to her room, yelling over her shoulder, "Make yourself at home!" as she pulled out a short, bright pink, skin tight dress.

Regina's POV

Regina had been waiting for about 10 minutes, she decided that she would see if Emma was ready yet. She knew that if she said she wasn't, it had to mean that Emma had figured her out and wanted to just be friends.

She went to her bedroom door, saying, "Are you ready yet?" "No, sorry." Regina could feel her heart breaking.

But she couldn't let Emma tell other people her secret. So she went in.

"Emma, I don't-"

Emma was standing in the middle of her room wearing only her underwear.

"Oh my, I am so sorry, I just- I will leave now."

Regina backed out of the room, her face growing redder with every step. A couple minutes later Emma came out, wearing clothing.

"Regina I am so sorry, I did not mean to be so late." "It's fine Emma. Really. But we do _really_ have to go now." "Okay."

Then Emma muttered something like "I also didn't mean for you to see that until later."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear a little bit of that Emma." Regina watched as Emma's face got redder and redder.

"If you want, you could call me Ems, if you wouldn't mind. It's what my friends call me." "Ems. Huh." "What?"

"I just never really thought about nicknames, because, well, there isn't really a good way to dissect the name 'Regina'."

When they got to the party, Emma immediately went to the bar. She's going to try to drink away the night because she's here with me, Regina thought.

Emma came back with a glass of red wine for her, and a mug of something. "how did you know I like red wine?" "I noticed it in your apartment the day I moved in." "Wow! That was really, uh, nice of you, thanks." "You're welcome!" Emma had this really adorable grin on her face, as every other person that passed them waved at her and said "Hey, Emma!" "What is it?" "It's just that I've never had this many people in my life!" Regina smiled.

Emma's POV

It had been an hour since they'd come to the party, and no one had said anything to Regina except her. Emma went over to Regina, just as Mary Margaret came. "Ms. Mills, are you enjoying yourself?" "Yes, yes I am." Mary Margaret left without another word. "Regina, why didn't Mary Margaret call you Regina?" "Because only my friends call me Regina, and I have none. I don't think half of the people in here even know my name." "Oh." There was an awkward silence. "Regina?" "Yes?" "Okay." "What?" She grabbed Regina's hand, dragging her onto the dance floor. "Oh, no. no, no, no, no, no, no." "But you said yes!" Emma knew that no one had ever been able to resist her pouty face, and Regina wasn't excepted. "Augh, fine. One song though. No more." "No less," Emma replied.

Coincedentally, Emma had paid the DJ to put on a slow song.

Regina put her arms around her, and Emma got butterflies in her stomach.

Regina's POV

They'd been dancing for only a couple minutes before Emma had dragged her outside and run until they got to this tiny little wooden castle playground. Emma raced up the structure until she got to the top. Regina followed her, and when she was about to reach Emma, she spun around, and kissed her like she'd never been kissed before.

At first, it was all fire, but even after the initial shock, Regina was still kissing, and no one had pulled away. It was like there were magnets, pulling them together.

And she liked it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Has anyone else been emotionally BLASTED by Sunday's episode? I WAS! Anyway, to the fic...**

And then reality had come crashing down on Regina, Emma was drunk. The only reason the woman of her dreams was kissing her was ecause she had gotten drunk _because_ she had gone to Mary Margaret's party with her. No one could want her just as she was.

_Emma's POV_

She and Regina were kissing, and it was wonderful, but then Emma felt tears rolling down Regina's cheeks. She pulled away "Regina? Wha-" Regina had started running down the beach towards Storybrooke's tiny little forest. She had no idea what was happening, but her gut was telling her to follow, so she did.

_Regina's POV_

She could hear Emma following her, so she picked up her pace, running to her favorite tree, her tears flying behind her. She ditched her heels even though her feet would be unprotected against the tough forest floor.

_E_

Regina was too fast for her.

Maybe it was because of her heels, or it could've been that she had eaten one too many bear claws at work.

Regina had ditched her heels, but she was still heading into the forest, which meant that her feet would be hurt! A couple meters into the forest, Emma started noticing _blood_ spatters on pine cones and sharp leaves on the forest floor. After following them for a while, she noticed that they started to get wobbly, until they stopped at the base of a tree with branches that spiraled up it, like a staircase, and then a layer of leaves like a wall spreading around the entire tree.

Climbing, well more like _stepping_, up right until the layer of leaves, she called up, "Regina?"

"What?"

Regina had built her first wall even higher, but Emma knew that she'd dropped the rest..

"What happened?"

"_You_ happened."

"What do you mean?"

"The only reason you even kissed me was because you're _drunk_."

"Wait, _what_?"

"Remember? You got me a red wine, and then you had a mug of something."

"Yeah. a mug of _hot cocoa_."

"I don't believe you."

"If you can show me some way to get above this layer of leaves, you could, uh, smell my breath?"

"That seems like it could be reasona-" Regina's voice faded away, like she'd fallen asleep.

"Regina?"

"Regina!"

"Regina!"

Emma burst through the leaves, looking around to see Regina passed out with a pool of blood around her. She felt her heart freeze over.

She ran over and picked her up, not even checking her pulse, because there was no way that Regina, her Regina, could be _dead_.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for all the positivity peoples! I decided that if people are still interested, I'll keep the story going as long as you want!**

_E_

Emma was pacing in front of Regina's hospital room. She knew that everything that had happened was her fault. If Regina never forgave her, it would be too soon.

_Four Hours Ago_

_She ran into the hospital, yelling "Someone help her! Please! She needs medical-stuff! Just don't let her die!" She hadn't noticed that she was crying until the doctors had put Regina on a bed and closed the doors._

_She felt empty._

_Now_

Emma had fallen asleep in one of the uncomfortable bedside chairs, but she was woken up by some high-pitched beeping. She opened her eyes and looked at Regina.

The heart monitor was rapidly increasing, and then Emma blinked, and it was just a low single sound.

Then the doctors had rushed by her, like a river, and she was a stone. They ushered her out, and she heard a "Clear!" but Regina stayed asleep.

Everything muted, and she saw, without really seeing. She didn't see the person that drove her home, didn't hear Henry come home, just got in bed, and went to sleep.

**Depending on your responses, I'll either post the next chapter today, or tomorrow. Just know that it's already done, so it's really up to you.**

Because Regina was dead.


	7. Chapter 7

**Just want to tell you all, I have zero medical knowledge.**

_E_

It had been a week since she had left the hospital. A week since she had almost convinced herself of her feelings, but not quite.

Because her body was telling her that she was in love with Regina Mills.

When her parents had abandoned her on the side of the road, that had been on them. When Neal had abandoned and framed her, that had been on him. When every single foster parent she had ever had had sent her back, that had been on them. But Regina was dead, and that was on _her_.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a thump coming from Regina's apartment. She couldn't bring Regina back, but she could protect her things. She slowly opened her door, grabbing her gun, but not loading it.

She burst through Regina's door with her gun raised, yelling, "Put your hands up!" Running into her living room, she saw a head of raven-black hair whirling around. She heard the beautiful, velvety voice saying "Emma?" but the room was spinning fast, too fast.

_R_

The doctors had told her that her heart had stopped for five whole minutes before they were able to bring her back. They had held her there to make sure that she was recovering.

She had just gotten back, when her door had burst open, with Emma yelling "Put your hands up!" pointing a gun at her.

Now, Emma's head was lying on her lap, passed out, but she seemed to be having some sort of dream, because her eyes were moving erratically beneath her eyelids.

Regina was baffled by how long Emma's eyelashes were, and how golden her hair was. Emma was so beautiful.

Her phone pinged, and she saw that it was an email from the hospital, labeled, 'Security Cam Footage. You need to see this.' She saw that there was a video attached, but she decided to look at it after Emma woke up.

Emma stirred, opening her mouth, saying "I love you Regina."

_E_

As she dreamt, she saw the first time Regina smiled at her, the first time she spoke, laughed, looked at her.

All her firsts, seconds, thirds, all as riveting as the last. At last, her mind gave in to what her body had known the whole time.

That she loved Regina. She felt like she could scream from the roof.

"I love you Regina!"

**I know that that was short, but the next one'll be really long, I promise. Can I just take a sec and thank you guys? I've got 42 followers! **


	8. Chapter 8

**I am REALLY sorry I didn't post sooner, there were tests at school, and the season finale, and, yeah. Again, I have no medical knowledge whatsoever.**

_R_

Had-had Emma said that she _loved _her? No, first things first, she had to get Emma back to her apartment before she sorted out her feelings.

She tried to pick Emma up bridal style, but she was far too heavy, so she ended up rolling her onto a blanket. She imagined the cringes on the faces of her children when she told them this story. Except she would never have that chance. She remembered that day so many years ago.

_A few weeks after Daniel had shot them_

_A doctor opened the door to her room. _

_"Regina, there's something you need to know. Daniel's shot hit your lower abdomen, and, although you will be cleared to go home in a couple days, you, well," He showed her an X-ray of her lower midsection. "We weren't able to, save your ovaries. You will never be able to have children." _

Emma stirring pulled her from her reverie. She quickly dragged the blanket (and Emma) over to her apartment. Thankfully, she'd left her door open.

She almost bowled over Henry, who'd been coloring calmly at the dining table, but had run toward her as she crossed the threshold. "Gina!" "Hi Henry! Hey, do you know where mommy's bedroom is?" "Yeah!" "Can you show me?" "Here." He grabbed her arm, pointing at everything he could see explaining what they were. "And that, that's a rug. It keeps feeties warm and toasty." "Wow! I didn't know that."

"This is my castle." "Does that make you king?" "No, I'm too little just yet." "Well then my little prince, can you help me lift mommy into her bed?" "I'm a prince!"

Henry started marching around the room, yelling, "I'm the prince, and this is _my_ castle!"

Regina, giving up on Henry's help, lifted Emma, slowly, into bed, covering her in blankets, and taking Henry's hand and leading him out of the room. She and Henry settled down at the table waiting for Emma to wake up. but soon Henry got restless, so, "Hey my little prince, how about we make a castle?" "Ooh yes please!" "Alright! Now, I need you to get every pillow in your house and bring it in here. Can you do that?" "Yeah!" Henry ran of into the depths of the apartment. Regina in turn raced to her apartment gabbing couch cushions, pillows, and blankets.

She and Henry arrived with their loot, and she showed him how to move all the furniture to make the outside walls of their 'castle'. Then she brought out a _very_ special piece. It was the comforter from her king size bed that stretched all the way across the fort, making a ceiling. Then they both crawled in building little 'rooms' with blankets and pillows. When they were done, they still had a bunch of pillows left over, so they used them to make a giant ceiling-high wall that completely enclosed their little 'castle' and then knocked out a few to make a door with two chairs.

_E_

She woke in her own bed and spent a few minutes mourning Regina, because she'd had a dream in which she was still alive. After she calmed down, she heard giggling coming from the living room. She looked in and saw _Regina_ playing around with Henry.

And then she remembered that it _hadn't_ been a dream, and she couldn't stop the silly grin that spread across her face. She walked in just as they crawled through their little door. "Hey, can I come in too?" Henry popped his head out, and asked innocently, "password?" "Henry!" "Yes?" "The _password_ is Henry." She heard a muffled "Shoot." Henry popped his head out again and said, "Fine, you can come in." "Thank you!" As she went in, she was amazed. There was an entire little castle inside the wall. Regina crawled up to her. "How'd you know the password?" "Because that's the same one he uses _every_ time." Regina laughed. Henry walked over to them, and said "Knight Regina, what is her rank?" "Well, your Highness, I do believe that since she just arrived, she is a _page._" Emma fake gasped. "No!" "Mm-hmm." "Page Mommy, fetch us a... snack!" "Uggh. How come she gets to be the knight?" "Because I said so, and I'm the prince." Henry declared. "Page, you wouldn't want to upset _his highness_, now would you?" Regina grinned. "Fine."

**Some family sweetness for you! In one of my plans for this, Neal returns, or August gives them both a very hard push towards each other. So, which do you want? Or both? Tell me in the little review box. Seriously guys, I have no idea which one to do, I need your input!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I am _so_ sorry it took me so long to update! I was writing for my other stories, Everything But the Actual Storyline and Emma's Adventure. But I'm here now! :)**

**This chapter mentions drugs and rape, so rated M.**

_R_

It had been three weeks since Emma had learned Regina hadn't died, but aside from the occasional hello in the hallway, Emma hadn't spoken to her.

Regina didn't know what to do.

While Emma had been passed out on her couch she'd said that she loved her. But Emma was, well, _straight_, right?

And she had Henry, which was proof enough.

_What if she's just in the closet?_

_What if pigs fly? _

Regina knew that it must have been a mistake. Right?

She knew that Emma was well, _gorgeous_ and she was smart, and a wonderful mother to Henry, and her laugh was the most beautiful thing Regina had ever heard, and somehow even though her jokes were terrible, they always made her laugh, and she was amazing, and she-_she was in love with Emma Swan_!

How had she not known?

That was just her luck. She was in love with her neighbor, a _straight single mother_. She sighed. _Because to Emma they were just neighbors, right?_

* * *

_E_

As she drifted off to sleep, she thought, _I wonder if Regina wants kids._ Whoa. Why-_Why _the_ hell _did she want to know that? _because you want to know every thing about her. Because you love her. Because you want to have a family with her. Because you need to figure out your life._

_But Regina doesn't want a life with you. To her you're just neighbors, right?_

But when she fainted, Regina brought me back here, and she played with Henry until I woke up. _Because she loves Henry, but not you. You're unloveable. Your parents didn't love you, your foster parents didn't love you, not even Neal could love you._

* * *

_5 Years and 9 Months Ago_

_She knew that Neal had gotten involved in some bad stuff before they had gotten together, but sitting here in front of a storage locker with a duffle bag that he'd told her was full of high scale watches that was _full_ of pills in little packets. Neal had told her that she shouldn't open the bag so that no one would notice it. But he'd wanted to hide this from her. She carefully zipped up the bag and swung it over her back. Reaching their rendezvous, Emma threw it down and waited. When he turned the corner, she asked, "Drugs? Really?" His shoulders slumped. "Ems, you don't-" "What, understand? You're right. I don't. You got two minutes until I walk away and call the cops." "I-I need them." "Oh my god. You're a freaking drug addict!" "No! I just take them every so often." "Last time you took them? Don't lie." "This morning." "I'm-_We're_ done. Over." "I'm not going to let you go. __We haven't even slept together yet." What the hell does that have to do with any of this?" "One thing." Neal popped some of the pills into his mouth. "Don't you dare come near me!" "Oh, no don't worry, it'll only hurt for a second." He grabbed her, pinning her to the wall._

_A month later when she'd been late, she bought a pregnancy test, and her life changed. With just a small symbol-a +._

* * *

_R_

She had woken up in the middle of the night, and since she couldn't get back to sleep, she was going to try the old warm milk trick. She yawned. There was a knock at her door, but she didn't hear it. The person continued to rap on the door, so she got up and had barely turned the knob when Emma pushed in. "Wonderful." She muttered. Just as wshe'd gotten the blonde out of her mind for a moment, she was here in person.

"Regina I need to tell you something and so I don't chicken out I need you to not interrupt me because I might just run away." She paused. "Here goes. Phew. Okay." "Please get on with it Miss Swan."

"I really hate it when you call me that because it makes me feel distant and I don't want to feel that way with you. Ever. Because I'm in love with you."

And then, as quickly as she came, Emma was gone.


End file.
